The Best AV Receiver Under $500 in 2018

If you are looking for the best AV receiver under $500 in
2018, then you’ve come to the right place. It’s true, AV receivers can be
expensive. The high-end models with every new feature under-the-sun certainly
don’t come cheap. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get great home theater sound
for much less.

For a start, you might not need all the features that a top
AV receiver offers. There’s no point paying for something you don’t need. Take
away some of the extras and you can get a fantastic home theater receiver for a
very reasonable price.

All the manufacturers release a series of AV receivers at
different price points. Here I will pick some of my favorites. Hopefully, this will help in your search for
the best AVR under $500.

Onkyo has a great reputation for producing quality AV
receivers, and this model continues that tradition.

This 7.2 channel 4K AV receiver supports all the latest
requirements for handling 4K/60p video. HDR10, Dolby Vision, BT.2020 and HDCP
2.2 are all present, so you should have no problems playing the latest 4K
content on your TV.

With 6 HDMI inputs and 1 output, it should be suitable for most
homes when it comes to connecting all your devices to the receiver.

Although it doesn’t have the THX certification of the more
expensive models, it still should sound great in your room. With 80 watts of
power (8 ohms, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 0.08% THD, 2ch driven), it should provide plenty
of volume. It also comes with Onkyo's
Dynamic Audio Amplification technology. This aims to provide noise-free dynamic
control of your speakers.

A whole host of network connection options are available. Ethernet, dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth, Chromecast and AirPlay. This allows access to services such as Spotify®, TIDAL, DEEZER and Pandora®. All controlled by the Onkyo controller app.

There is also a powered zone 2 output, which means you can send audio to speakers in another room without installing an extra amplifier.

I’ve mentioned elsewhere that Yamaha is among my favorite sounding
amplifiers. Although this model doesn’t make the top of the list here, it’s
certainly a worthy contender and should be an option for you to consider.

It only provides support for a 5.1 surround sound system,
but if that is all you want then that won’t be an issue.

I always like to stress that you should consider only paying for the features that you need. It's often the way to get the best bang for your buck. So, if you only want 5.1 sound, do you need an AV receiver that supports 7.1?

To make the point again, this receiver also doesn't support Dolby Atmos or DTS:X. If you don't want this then, who cares? Maybe keep things simple and buy a product that is designed for your needs?

If you want Dolby Atmos, then one of the other receivers on this page might be the one for you. Or, check out the next model up in this series - the Yamaha RX-V585. This does support Dolby Atmos and 7.1 surround sound.

The RX-V485 has a respectable 80 watts
of power (8 ohms, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 0.09% THD, 2ch driven) and will be suitable for
many people unless you have a pretty large room to fill with sound.

Along with an Ethernet connection, you can connect via WiFi,
Bluetooth, AirPlay and Spotify Connect. This model also has a built-in
Compressed Music Enhancer for Bluetooth. This aims to provide the best possible
sound quality when streaming to the receiver.

Yamaha RX-V485 AV Receiver Specifications

Dimensions (W x H x D)

Weight (lbs)

Power (W)

Speaker Impedance (Ohms)

17 1/8” x 6 3/8" x 12 7/8” | 435 x 161 x 327 mm (w/o antenna)

17.2

80*

6-8

Network / Wireless?

Channels

Dolby Atmos?

HDMI In/Out

Wi-Fi / AirPlay / Bluetooth / Spotify Connect / MusicCast

5.1

None

4 / 1

* 8 Ohms, 20 Hz–20 kHz, 0.09% THD, 2 Channels Driven

There are 4 HDMI inputs and 1 output, plus full support for 4K Ultra HD video. HDR 10, Dolby Vision and HLG are supported. Ideal if your equipment supports this technology – and future-proofing if it doesn’t yet.

Much like Denon, Yamaha has its own multi-room wireless streaming system called MusicCast. With this system, you can add wireless speakers in up to 9 more rooms. All of which can be controlled via the app. Of course, this AV receiver has full MusicCast support and can be the central hub to the whole eco-system.

But, that's not all. Yamaha now has two new MusicCast speakers - the MusicCast 20 and the MusicCast 50. The beauty of these is that you can connect these to this AV receiver and use them as you surround speakers in a 5.1 system. This is called MusicCast Surround.

Up to now, it's not been easy to get wireless surround speakers. But, if this is something you want, then a Yamaha MusicCast receiver might be what you are looking for.

Here is an official Yamaha video which highlights the main features of the RX-V 85 series of AV receivers:

Denon feature in the main list of the best AV receivers in
2018. Yet, they prove they can compete at all price points with this mid-range
receiver.

It has 7.2 channel support and a whole host of network
connections types. Ethernet, WiFi, AirPlay, Spotify Connect and Bluetooth are all available for streaming all types of media across on your
home network and from the internet.

It also supports the Denon HEOS technology which allows for wireless
multi-room speaker setups. All of which can be controlled by the free HEOS app - or Amazon Alexa voice control.

Supported music streaming services include Pandora, Sirius XM and Amazon Music. As well as iHeart Radio, Deezer, Napster, TIDAL and
Soundcloud.

There is full support for all the important 4K UHD technologies. Therefore the AVR-S740H will pass-through HDR10, Dolby Vision and HLG - along with support for BT.2020, Wide Color Gamut and 4:4:4 Pure Color sub-sampling.

If you're not sure what this means, don't worry too much. It just means that you shouldn't have any trouble playing 4K video through this device.

Denon AVR-S740H AV Receiver Specifications

Dimensions (W x H x D)

Weight (lbs)

Power (W)

Speaker Impedance (Ohms)

17 1/8" x 6" x 13 3/8" | 434 x 151 x 339 mm (w/o antenna)

19

75*

4-16

Network / Wireless?

Channels

Dolby Atmos?

HDMI In/Out

Ethernet / WiFi / AirPlay / Spotify Connect / Bluetooth / HEOS

7.2

5.2.2

5+1 / 1

* 8 Ohms, 20 Hz–20 kHz, 0.08% THD, 2 Channels Driven

There are a few other features which make it stand out from the pack. Unusually for a cheaper AV receiver, this model will drive speakers with an impedance as low as 4-ohms.

It also provides an Eco Mode which can adjust the maximum available power depending on the volume level. Just be aware that you should turn this mode off if you want to play at high volumes.

Dolby Atmos audio is supported with a 5.1.2 speaker layout - or 5.2.2 if you have a second subwoofer. You can also play a DTS:X soundtrack with your standard surround sound speakers - or enable DTS Virtual:X on any soundtrack type.

This amp provides 75 watts of power (8 ohms, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 0.08% THD, 2ch driven), which should be fine for most people.

There are 6 HDCP 2.2 HDMI inputs, 5 on the rear and one on the front - and 1 HDMI output. This will be plenty of connections for most. There are also two assignable optical audio inputs and one coaxial input.

Assignable means you can tell the receiver to use a different audio input for a particular video input. For example, an optical input for the audio on HDMI input 3. You might want to do this if your DVD player doesn't send audio over HDMI.

Sony doesn't have the number
of AV receivers that some other brands offer. But they often make it count when
they release one.

If you are looking for a home theater receiver under $500
then this one might fit the bill.

It has full 4K video pass-through
support and has all the specifications required to play 4K video through your
home theater system. If you have a TV that has HDR then it supports HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision pass-through.

This model powers 7.2 speaker channels and has support for
DTS:X and Dolby Atmos (5.1.2 speaker layout).

It comes with the ability to configure
your speaker levels through the Digital Cinema Auto Calibration feature. All you
need to do is place the included microphone in your seating position and it
will calculate the correct levels for your room.

Included as part of this setup process is an Auto Phase Matching feature. This will ensure each speaker in your room is in phase with each other. This is an important calibration for ensuring the best sound in your room.

Sony STR-DH790 AV Receiver Specifications

Dimensions (W x H x D)

Weight (lbs)

Power (W)

Speaker Impedance (Ohms)

17" x 5 1/4" x 11 3/4" | 430 x 133 x 297 mm

16.4

145*

6-16

Network / Wireless?

Channels

Dolby Atmos?

HDMI In/Out

Bluetooth

7.2

5.2.2

4 / 1

* 6 Ohms, 1 kHz, 0.09% THD, All Channels Driven

Getting the right balance between the different surround sound speakers is crucial in getting the best from your system.

Unfortunately, Sony doesn't release power specifications with the tests that I like to quote - 8 ohms, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2ch driven. This makes it difficult to compare like-with-like.

The Sony STR-DH790 is rated at 145 watts into 6-ohm speakers (1 kHz, 0.09% THD, all channels driven). So, even though it is similar in power output to the other models listed here, it is not quite as powerful as the numbers might suggest.

If you want to compare the power to the other AV receivers here, you will need to see if the others have been rated into 6 ohms at 1 kHz for all channels.

However, at this price point, you will probably find that the power output of all these receivers isn't different enough to make much difference in a real world scenario.

It has 4 HDMI inputs and 1 output for connecting your devices. This is slightly less than some of the others, but may not be a problem in your room. It's always worth thinking about this before you buy however.

This model has slightly fewer network features but does support Bluetooth. So, you can connect your phone/tablet to the receiver using Bluetooth to play your tunes.

You can also use this connection to switch on the receiver from your handheld device.

The remarkable thing about the receiver at this price is
that it is part of the Elite Series of AV receivers. These models are
engineered for the best audio performance and are aimed at the higher-end of
the market.

This is a 7.2 channel network home theater receiver with a
decent 80 watts of power (8 ohms, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 0.08% THD, 2ch driven). It
has support for DTS:X and Dolby Atmos systems with a 5.2.2 configuration.

Of course, if you only have a single subwoofer, you will have a 5.1.2 system instead.

There is also support for the two upmixing modes - Dolby Surround and DTS Neural:X. These will upmix standard stereo, 5.1 and 7.1 soundtracks to use your height speakers.

It has full support for 4K Ultra HD video, including pass-through for HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision. The required standards of BT.2020 and HDCP 2.2 are also present so you should be well future-proofed.

The included microphone allows for the use of the snappily-titled MCACC Auto Room Tuning. MCACC stands for Multi-Channel Acoustic Calibration System in case you were wondering.

Easier to use than say, this system automatically calibrates the speakers in your room. It will compensate for different size speakers and the acoustics of your room. Providing the right audio balance and a perfect surround sound effect.

This receiver has Chromecast built-in, so you can easily stream audio from your mobile device. This is a feature not found on most AV receivers. Not only that, but you have the choice of Ethernet, WiFi and Bluetooth.

If that wasn't enough choice, you can also use the built-in DTS Play-Fi for wireless streaming to your receiver. Or, to other DTS Play-Fi compatible audio devices in your home.

It's great to see the HDMI inputs increased to 6 - with 1 HDMI output. The previous version of this receiver only had 4 inputs - which may have been a problem for some people.

Conclusion

Hopefully, I have
highlighted a few great choices if you are looking for the best AV receiver
under $500.

These days you can still take advantage of many of the newer
technologies that are present in modern AV receivers. Not only that, but you
can still get a high-quality device that will stand you in good stead for a few
years to come.

That is until they
think of the next new thing to tempt us with! The rascals.

While this isn’t an exhaustive list of all the home theater
receivers under $500, it includes many of the best and should be a good place
to start.

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